Using Sediment Deposited in Small Reservoirs to Quantify Sediment Yield in Two Small Catchments of Iran

Abstract

Sediment deposition in reservoirs is a serious off-site consequence of soil erosion in Semnan Province, Iran. So far insufficient and less reliable sediment yield data have been collected for these regions. The large number of available sediment deposition rates in reservoirs makes the use of reservoir sediments very attractive for regional-scale studies of sediment delivery. This paper however discusses a methodology combination of both source fingerprinting technique and reservoir sediment survey to provide reliable data on sediment yields of geological formation for two small catchments, Iran. The study first assessed the volume and mass of deposited sediment in reservoirs. Secondary a fingerprinting technique have been used to identify the contribution and then specific sediment yield of each geological formation to reservoir sediment. Results indicate that there is some variation in specific sediment yield (SSY) among geological formations in two catchments: i.e. 10.31 t ha-1 year-1 to 0.41 t ha-1 year-1 and emphasize the importance of Quaternary units and Upper Red formations as the dominant surface source within two catchments. This is the important finding to support design and implementation of sediment control strategies in these catchments.

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